Insulator lifter



4, 1965 J. F. SERVIS 3,202,450

INSULATOR LIFTER Filed March 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR. JAMES F SERV/S Q W K Hi: ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 24, 1965 J. F. SERVIS INSULATOR LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1963 INVENTOR. JAMES F SERv/s BY W flandr. taken substantially along line 7"77 inFIG.

United States Patent enemas INSULATQR LIFTER James Servis, Boise, Idaho, assignor, by direct and mesne. assignments, of one-nalf to' Gerald A. M. Petersen, Santa Clara, Calif., and one-half to Anita E. Petersen, Saratoga, Calif.

Filed Mar. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 265,271

" '5 Claims. (Cl. 294-491) This invention relates to insulator lifters andmore particularly to a device for releasably holding and supporting tandemed insulators incident to placement thereof and for releasing the insulators-once they are installed.

The device of the present invention is intended for use as a toolfor assisting line construction engineers in the installation of insulatorson the towers for suspending high tension power lines and cables therebetween. To this end it is an object of this invention to provide an insulator lifter having a seat formed therein for partially confining an insulator unit under its own weight during lifting and holding thereof and for facilitating removal of the lifter therefrom laterally upon release of the lifter from an insulator which has been secured to a tower.

it is an'other'object to provide such a lifter with a cylinder-like fence having a diagonally tending upper railterminating at an open ended U-shaped slot in a seat facilitating clearance of an insulator unit therefrom once the insulator is'hung. 7

"Another? object is to provide a light weightlifter with a lifting eye at the upper end of a backbone spine formed integrally-of the diagonally topped cylinder like fence and the U-shapedslot of "the seat diametrically opposite the open end thereof in the seat.

It is yet another object to provide fastening means for a sidewise pull cord at the lower end of the backbone spine and in the region of the insulator u'nit seat whereby when the lifter is Withdrawn radially of the axis of a column type insulator the gradually diminishing height of the fence affords clearance between adjoining unit of thewhole insulator column.

v These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from' a reading of the following description in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: a i

FIG. 1 is a partial illustration of a high tension wire tower having insulators installed thereon by means of the insulator lifter of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the insulator lifter lifting and supporting an insulator into a position for connection to a} cross arm of the tower.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of theinsulator lifter only of FIGS. 1 and 2. I

F1634 is a side elevational view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 isan elevational view looking into the open front of the insulator lifter as seen from the right in FIG.4., u FIG. 6 is a partial section taken through FIG. 3 along line 6-6 thereof.

..FIG. 7 is a section through the backbone of'the lifter 5 and zit-larger scale with respect thereto.

FIG. 8 is a section through one side rail ofthe lifter and-taken substantially along line 8@ in FIG. 4 and at larger scale with respect thereto,

- Referring to the drawing. the insulator lifter ill is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in its use as a tool or device for assisting linemen in theinstallation of insulators- I ditilfltih Patented Aug. 24, 1955 W secured to its lower end forsupporting the conductors above earth and between towers. More specifically the column of dielectric material consists of a number of individual porcelain or glazed pottery dish-like units A linked together by means of metal clevices, eyes and bolts to afiord freedom of movement or flexibility of the column I between the rigid cross arm of the tower and the conductors W which may sway and swing due to the wind.

In the enlarged illustration of FIG. 2 the column type insulator'l is shown as made up of individual units A. Each unit A consists of a dish-like porcelain element P of a specific diameter and thickness to assure a non-conductive dielectric shield. The diameter of the elements P may vary according to need determined by the voltage to be carried by the conductors W. The number of units A in each column I will also vary according to the spacing required between the conductor and the parts of the tower upon which the conductors are to be hung to assure against spark jumps. Each unit A has a depending metaleye E anchored in the porcelain material P and insulated from a metal bell like cap B of reduced diameter anchored to the upper side of the dish-like porcelain material P concentric thereof.

The upper end of the bell-like cap B has a pair of spaced" ears X-X projecting upwardly therefrom to receive the eye E of the unit A above. The ears X-X have aligned bores registerable with the opening in the eye E and a bolt and nut N is used to pivotally connect them together in a well known manner.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the insulator I is relatively flexible by reason of the pivotal connection between adjacent pordelain units A and accordingly rather cumbersome to handle. The insulator lifter It of the present invention was conceived and developed to alleviate the problem of safely holding flexible column type insulators I during securing thereof to the cross arm C of a towerl It was also conceived for the purpose of releasably holding the cumbersome column type insulator I so that the lineman on the tower need not concern himself with this problem. In other words, with the present invention the entire operation of holding, lifting and releasing the long column of insulators can be controlled and accomplished by a man on the earth below.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 6 the insulator lifter 10 comprises a monometal casting 11 providing a seat 12 dimensioned to receive and support the dishlike portion P of one porcelain unit A. This seat 12 is provided by a base plate 13 having an open ended U- shaped slot 14 formed therein and extending radially outward from an open center 15 which is co-axial of the plate 13. The bight 16 of the open center 15 is struck on a radius slightly larger than the bell-like cap B of a unit A so as to clear the same and permit entrance 'andexit of the bell-like cap 18 radially via the open ended U-shaped slot 14. The base plate 13 thus provides a flat partially circular table which forms the seat 12 upon which the porcelain dish-like element P can rest. I

The baseplate I3 is bordered by an upstanding flange 1'7 formed integrally with a spine or backbone 18 (FIG. 7) which is diametrically opposite the open end of the slot 14. The backbone 18 extends upwardly from the base 13 a distance approximating the diameter of the seat 12. The upper end of the spine or backbone 13 terminates in an integral eye 20 suitable for receiving a hook or the looped end of a cable Z for securing the same to the eye 20.

Just below the base of the eye 20 is a radially outwardly extending flange 21 forming a C shaped rail 22 the arms 23 and 24 of whichextend from the sides of the backbone 18 arcuately and diagonally (downward) toward the open end 19 of the U shaped slot 14. The flange 21 of each arm 23 and 24 (FIG. 8) has a depending portion 25 which forms a skirting of the rail 22 which is of the same inside diameter as the upstanding flange 17 on the base 13. The inner face 26 of the backbone 18 is curved to conform to the inside diameter of the skirting 25 and the upstanding flange 17, and together form a cylinder-like fence or wall 27 around and above the seat 12. This cylinder-like fence 27 has a diagonal upper rail 22 which opens congruent to the open end 19 of the slot 14 whereby the porcelain element P of any one unit A entering the open end 19 is partially circumscribed by the fence 27a circumferential distance greater than 180 degrees. Thus even though the lifter may be tilted toward the open end 19 of the base, the porcelain element P is held in the seat 12 by gravity and the upstanding flange 17.

The seat 13 is surfaced with a cushioning material R to guard against chipping or cracking of the dish-like porcelainmaterial P. This cushioning material R is a layer of neoprene or synthetic rubber-like plastic bonded to the inner face of the upstanding flange 17 and to the upper surface of the base plate 13. The rubber cushioning R engages the lower surface of the porcelain element P and the circumferential edge of the latter engages the rubber-like lining R on the inner face of the flange 17.

In the use of the lifter 10 it is customary to insert the same between two of the uppermost units A of a column insulator I. This is usually below the third, fourth or fifth unit from the top so as to leave enough flexibility in the upper part of the column type insulator I so that the lineman L on the tower T can maneuver the upper end of the column for placement and securing to the cross arm C. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 the cross arms C have hanger plates H secured thereto which are provided witha depending ear orlug D similar to the eyes E on each of the units A. These lugs D rave a bore alignable with those of the spaced ears X-X on the bell-like cap B of the uppermost unit A of the insulator column I. The

, linenianL on the tower is to move the ears XX into made fast to the eye so that when the strand Z2 of the cable Z on the opposite side of the pulley Y is pulled the entire lifter 10 with the column type insulator I is raised up from the earth to the cross arm C. Thus while the insulator I is supported adjacent and below the cross arm C the lineman L on the tower can easily move the free units A above the lifter 10 into vertical alignment with the hanger lug D for connection thereto by a nut and bolt N.

Once the column type insulator I is secured to the cross arm as explained above the cable Z can be released to slower the lifter 1i) slightly, a distance of less than the spacing between the dish-like porcelain elements P above and below the seat 12. Thus the element P which was supported on the seat 12 relatively comes out of the seat and is no longer completely confined within the more than 180 degree fence 27 of the lifter 10. Consequently,

v by a slight lateral pull the entire lifter can be moved out of vertical alignment with the "column type insulator I which is now solely suspended from the hanger lug D on the cross arm C.

To enable workmen on the earth below to exert such lateral pull on the lifter 10 the latter is provided with means for attaching the same to a pull cord S. This means isshown as a tugging eye 30 and hook 31 at the lower end of'the'backbone '18. 'The eye 34] and hook 31 each project radially from the after rib 32 of the back bone 18 in a plane coincident to the diametrical axis seat 12 and the long axis 1 of the slot 14. The cord S is secured to the eye Bil or a loop in the cord may be snagged over the hook 31 at the option of the workmen. In either event a side pull can be exerted upon the lifter 10 once the column of insulators I is secured to the tower T and the lifting cable Z released to lower the lifter seat out of confining engagement with the porcelain element P which was seated therein. The fence 27 being lowest on that side thereof diametrically opposite the backbone or spine 13, a sidewise tug on the cord S will cause the U shaped slot 14 to withdraw from the bell-like cap B of the next lower unit A. In this manner the entire lifter 10 is shifted laterally out of vertical alignment with the insulator I and upon pay out of the pull strand Z2 of cable Z the lifter will descend to earth. The lineman L need now only to unfasten and remove the pulley Y from the cross arm C and the insulator I is now ready to have high tension wires W secured to its lower end.

Having thus described my insulator lifter in specific detail it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same may be susceptible to variations, alterations and/or modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention therein. I therefore desire to avail myself of all variations, alterationsand/or modifications as fairly come within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An insulator lifter for lifting, by means of a pulley line to the cross arm .of a high tension wire; tower for manual connection thereto, tandemed insulators of the type having a plurality of dish-like porcelain units with bell-like caps extending normal theretolinked together in close proximity concentrically and one above the other; said lifter comprising a seat having a fiat plate base and an upstanding flange thereon for confining a dish-like porcelain unit therein, said seat having a U-shaped slot formed therein opening to one side of said seat for receiving and embracing the bell-like cap of a depending porcelain unit, a rubber-like surfacing on said base and upstanding flange forcushioning a porcelain unit, a backbone spine extending upwardly from said baSediametrically opposite the open end of said U-shaped slot therein,

a lifting eye on the upper end of said backbone spine.

5 as aforesaid.

2. An insulator lifter for lifting, by means of a pulley line to the cross arm of a high tension wire tower for manual connection thereto, tandemed insulators of the type having a plurality of dish-like porcelain units with bell-shaped caps extending normal thereto linked together In close proximity concentrically and one above the other;

- said lifter comprising a C shaped cylinder-like body for confining a dish-likeporcelain unit therein, a flat base on said body having a U-shaped slot formed therein opening to one side of said base for receiving and embracing the bell-like cap of a unit which is depending from a porcelain unit confined in said seat, a lifting eye on the upper end of said cylinder-like body connectable, tosaid $2) drawal of a bell-like cap of an insulator being lifted via the open end of said U-shaped slot.

3. An insulator lifter for lifting tandemed insulators, of the type having a plurality of dish-like porcelain units with bell-shaped caps extending normal thereto linked together in close proximity concentrically and one above the other, by means of a pulley line to the cross arm of a high tension wire tower for manual connection thereto; said lifter comprising a C-shaped cylinder-like body for confining a dish-like porcelain unit therein including a base on said body disposed to fit between adjacent porcelain units and having a U-shaped slot formed therein opening to one side of said base for receiving and embracing the bell-like cap of a procelain unit, a lifting eye on the upper end of said cylinder-like body connectable to a pulley line diametrically opposite the open end of said U-shaped slot, a lateral pull line connecting means on said base vertically below said lifting eye facilitating relative lateral withdrawal of a bell-like cap via the open end of said U-shaped slot, and a downwardly tending upper rail on said C-shaped cylinder-like body having the lowest terminal ends of its open sides congruent to the open end of said U-shaped slot for clearing a confined dish-like porcelain unit as said lifter is lowered and withdrawn from a tandemed insulator after it has been connected to a tower.

4. An insulator lifter for lifting, by means of a pulley line to the cross arm of a high tension wire tower for manual connection thereto, tandemed insulators of the type having a plurality of dish-like porcelain units with bell-like caps extending normal thereto linked together concentrically in close proximity and one above the other; said lifter comprising a C-shaped cylinder-like body for confining a dish-like porcelain unit therein and having an integral base provided with a U shaped slot opening to one side of said base for receiving and embracing a belllike cap of the depending porcelain units, a lifting eye on the upper end of said cylinder-like body diametrically opposite the open end of said U shaped slot connectable to a pulley line for seating a procelain unit within said cylinder-like body by gravity, a lateral pull line connecting means on said base vertically below said lifting eye facilitating relative lateral withdrawal of a depending bell-like cap in said slot via the open end of said U-shaped slot when a seated porcelain unit is unseated from said cylinder-like body, and a downwardly tending upper rail on said C-shaped cylinder-like body having the lowest terminal ends of its open sides congruent to the open end of said U-shaped slot for clearing a dish-like porcelain unit which was confined in said seat as said lifter is lowered and withdrawn laterally from between a tandemed insulator after the latter is connected to a cross arm of a tower.

5. An insulator lifter for lifting tandemed insulators, of the type having .a plurality of dish-like porcelain units with bell-like caps extending normal thereto linked together in close proximity concentrically one above the other, by means of a pulley line to the cross arm of a high tension wire tower for manual connection thereto; said lifter comprising a C-shaped body having a base provided with a U-shaped sl-ot opening to one side of said base for receiving and embracing the bell-like cap of a porcelain unit depending from a unit resting on said base, a lifting eye on the upper end of said body eonnectable to a pulley line diametrically opposite the open end of said U-shaped slot and at a distance above said base approximating the diameter of said base, and a lateral pull line connecting means on said base vertically below said lifting eye facilitating relative lateral withdrawal of a bell-like cap via the open end of said U-shaped slot after said tandemed insulator is connected to a tower and the lifter lowered slightly away from a porcelain unit which was resting on said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,924,424 8/ 33 Van Meter 294- X 1,948,869 2/34 Pinson 294-113 2,374,048 4/45 Staheli 29490 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. ERNEST A. FALLER, Examiner. 

1. AN INSULATOR LIFTER FOR LIFTING, BY MEANS OF A PULLEY LINE TO THE CROSS ARM OF A HIGH TENSION WIRE TOWER FOR MANUAL CONNECTION THERETO, TANDEMED INSULATORS OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF DISH-LIKE PORCELAIN UNITS WITH BELL-LIKE CAPS EXTENDING NORMAL THERETO LINKED TOGETHER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY CONCENTRICALLY AND ONE ABOVE THE OTHER; SAID LIFTER COMPRISING A SEAT HAVING A FLAT PLATE BASE AND AN UPSTANDING FLANGE THEREON FOR CONFINING A DISH-LIKE PORCELAIN UNIT THEREIN, SAID SEAT HAVING A U-SHAPED SLOT FORMED THEREIN OPENING TO ONE SIDE OF SAID SEAT FOR RECEIVED AND EMBRACING THE BELL-LIKE CAP OF A DEPENDING PORCELAIN UNIT, A RUBBER-LIKE SURFACING ON SAID BASE AND UPSTANDING FLANGE FOR CUSHIONING A PORCELAIN UNIT, A BACKBONE SPINE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROMSAID BASE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE THE OPEN END OF SAID U-SHAPE SLOT THEREIN, A LIFTING EYE ON THE UPPER END OF SAID BACKBONE SPINE CONNECTABLE TO A PULLEY LINE FOR RAISING SAID SEAT INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A PORCELAIN UNIT, AND A LATERAL PULL LINE CONNECTING MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID BACKBONE SPINE AT THE PLANE OF SAID BASE FACILITATING RELATIVE LATERAL WITHDRAWAL OF SAID SEAT FROM A PORCELAIN UNIT SEATED THEREIN AND RELATIVE WITHDRAWAL OF AN ADJACENT BELL-LIKE CAP ATTACHED THERETO VIA THE OPEN END OF SAID U SHAPED SLOT WHEN SAID SEAT IS LOWERED AFTER CONNECTION OF THE UPPER END OF A TANDEMED INSULATOR BEING LIFTED TO A CROSS ARM AS AFORESAID. 